Fireworks
by Europe28
Summary: "How could you have a cute girl like that sitting on your desk and ignore her? If it had been any of the others you'd have been taking photos non-stop?"   Kouta turned back to his camera, "she annoys me" he answered simply.    Other pairings Inside
1. Chapter 1

_Author's note: This is my first Baka to Test to Shōkanjū fanfiction, so please be nice~  
>Other pairings in the fiction include: MinamiAkihisaHimeji, Shoko and Yuji<em>, _Hideyoshi and Yuko (So warnings of twincest), and well as Aiko and Kouta_

An ordinary day in Class F consisted of pretty much of what was going on now.

Absolutely no work was being done, and the room was slowly being reduced to resemble a bomb site.

At the back of the room Yūji, Akihisa, Kouta, Hideyoshi, Himeji and Minami were all sitting round a single table in a tight circle.

Himeji and Minami were chatting cheerfully while the boys played a game of Doubt. Himeji had explained the stripping forfeit to Minami, so now they both insisted on watching in case Hideyoshi started taking off his clothes again.

Iron Man had been busy today so he'd left them to administer their studied by themselves- another way for saying that as long as they stayed in school they had the day off.

"Are you excited about the fireworks display next week?" Himeji turned specificity to Akihisa, who mumbled something about not really caring, with most of his concentration on his hand.

"Hey!" Minami grabbed him by the back of his hair, pressing her heel into his back and pulling. Hard.

"Ow! Ow! Minami stop!" Akihisa wailed, flailing his arms around in pathetic defense.

She released him folding her arms over her chest and glaring at him while Himeji repeated her question.

"But there are fireworks every year, why is this one important?"

"Wrong answer!"

Akihisa felt his back begin to snap, and tears stream from his eyes. Minami knew no mercy.

"Who will you be going to see them with?" Himeji pressed, her voice perhaps a little too friendly, and there seemed to be a threatening aurora around her.

"The other guys probably" Akihisa whimpered, feeling Minami give a final yank before he was reduced to a jellyfish.

"Sorry, I can't go with you guys anyway" Hideyoshi apologised, holding up his hands, and placing his cards down on the table, "I said I'd go with my sister,"

"Your sister?" The other guys glanced at him with confusion,

"Yeah, what's wrong with that?" Hideyoshi tilted his head, "we always went together when we were kids."

Akihisa let his mind play out the scene before he spoke, "so it's not just twincest, but Yuri too..."

Hideyoshi blushed furiously, "I-It's nothing like that -besides, I'm a guy-, Yūko just asked if I could go with her this year instead of you guys, she thinks your stupidity is rubbing off on me..."

"How could she think something like that!" Akihisa looked mortally insulted, "we're not all idiots here!"

The others sighed, choosing to say nothing, though Akihisa obviously sensed what they were all thinking.

"There's no need to be cruel!"

"Don't you guys want to come with Yūji and the rest of us?" Akihisa recovered quickly, looking questioningly at the girls who were shifting uncomfortably.

"That's not what we're saying..." Himeji shook her head, both girls exchanging looks at Akihisa's hopelessness.

"We can all go together" Yūji agreed, patting Akihisa's back reassuringly.

"You just don't want to be alone with Kirishima-san~" Akihisa beamed, only to find himself clobbered round the head, this time by Yūji.

Muttsulini seemed to be the only one without a problem with the night. He didn't have any girls hanging off him so he was free to admire all of them with his camera.

It was clear everybody else had given up on the card game by now so he sat back to polish his camera lens in preparation.

"Himeji do you want to go shopping this weekend?" Minami turned to her friend, blocking out the boys completely, "it would be nice to get a new Yukata for the fireworks,"

"Yes, that'll be fun" Himeji smiled excitedly; both of them glanced at Akihisa to see if they got a reaction. No such luck.

The door to their classroom was thrown open rather abruptly, disturbing the peace of the room.

Yūko stormed in, approaching her twin brother with her arms folded, "you're coming shopping with me at the weekend" she ordered, narrowing her eyes at him, "so cancel any other plans you've made."

Hideyoshi held up his hands in protest, "but I had a rehearsal with the drama group!"

"Tough!" Yūko snapped, "all the other girls in Class A are going shopping, I don't want to be the only one without a new Yukata!"

"Can't you go on your own?" Akihisa pointed out, unsure why he was really entering the conversation.

For the forth time that morning he felt something in his body being broken.

Yūko tried to hide her blush, not meeting eye contact with anyone, "of course he's got to come with me, I'm not paying for it with my own money, and he's the one taking me to see the fireworks!"

"That's because you made me," Hideyoshi was slowly becoming even more confused by this conversation than Akihisa was.

Yūko hair ruffled like a cat's, "You stupid idiot of idiots!" She yelled before storming away, slamming the classroom door behind her.

The FFF inquisition looked muddled as to who they should be condemning for this act. There was a brief discussion amongst the hooded group as to if dating and twincest should be allowed if it was Yuri.

"I'm not a girl!" Hideyoshi called at them, sounding even more annoyed than he usually did; but he was ignored like usual.

"I don't understand why girls get so excited about this sort of thing," Yūji leant back on his hands, closing his eyes in a lazy way, "Shōko will probably want to go out shopping as well."

"Looks like its just me and Muttsulini" Akihisa sighed, "girls just don't see how attractive we are."

Kouta was slowly edging away from him by now.

The looks of annoyance were back on Himeji and Minami's faces. How could someone be so oblivious when they'd been hinting for the last week that they'd like to go to the fireworks with him.

They were just settling down again when the door was opened again; this time Shōko and Aiko entered the room.

Aiko was peering around Class F's room curiously with a grin on her face. "I don't think I've ever been in this classroom before..."

Yūji was on his feet in defence immediately. "What do you want!" He demanded, turning to Shōko, looking her up and down to check for any dangerous weapons.

"I just wanted to see how my fiancée is doing" Shōko told him, sitting down on his cushion, pulling Yūji down with her and snuggling against his arm.

To the FFF this was certainly a crime. But they were always a little more hesitant with Yūji than Akihisa; Yūji could be scary when he wanted to be.

Besides Yūji was trying his utmost hardest to shake her off him.

"What are you up to Muttsulini?" Aiko smiled, glancing down at Kouta, getting the desired effect when he leaned forwards to glance up her skirt.

He sat back disappointed, "shorts again" he muttered, seeming to lose interest in her completely.

"Don't be like that" Aiko laughed, sitting down opposite him, bending over the table. Watching Kouta's face turn first red, then an irritated look of concentration passed over him, before the blood exploded from his nose with full pressure behind it.

"I knew you don't like it when I wear shorts, so I made up for it by not wearing a bra~"

All the boy's in Class F's ears pricked, slowly turning towards Aiko who was waiting for them all, though she'd now straightened herself up again and was grinning with amusement.

Yūji however was clutching at his eyes, Shōko had poked him blind.

"Why are you here anyway?" Kouta managed to recover himself, wiping the last of the blood from his nose with his arm, still looking annoyed. He could understand that Shōko was here to see Yūji, and that Yūko had stopped by to see Hideyoshi, but there was no reason for Aiko to be here as well.

"Ah, you see, Class A doesn't trust you idiots, so whenever our class rep visits, someone else has to go with her" Aiko explained with a shrug, "I also get to tease you all while I'm here~"

She lifted up her skirt a little. Kouta was the only one who'd spotted that she was wearing shorts, so naturally all the other guys shot forwards.

Yūji had his eyes poked again, and Minami and Himeji looked ready to kill Akihisa- who was at the front of the group, practically on top of Kouta's table, panting like a dog.

She lowered her skirt again, with a teasing wink, perching herself on Kouta's desk; looking unready to move until Shōko was, and judging by the way she was clutching to Yūji's arm that wouldn't be any time soon.

The other boys were glaring at Kouta with envy, though Kouta himself hardly seemed to realise that Aiko was there at all.

"Yūji..." Shōko looked up at the Class F rep, "we're going to the Fireworks together, right?"

"That's what I promised..." Yūji muttered, giving up on pushing her away,

"That means we have to be alone" Shōko added firmly.

"What!" Yūji leapt away from her, finally succeeding in getting his arm free, "There's no way I'll agree to that!"

Fishing a sheet of paper from her skirt pocket, Shōko showed him the marriage certificate, "I'll ask father's permission if you don't" she threatened. A small and brief look of hurt passed over her usually bland expression, "It's only to see the fireworks..."

"Fine..." Yūji's own face had a quick look of guilt momentarily.

Satisfied, Shōko rose to her feet; Aiko with her.

"See you later Mussolini~" Aiko beamed, skipping after the Class A rep.

Akihisa lay his head down on Kouta's desk the moment the girls from Class A were gone.

"How could you have a cute girl like that sitting on your desk and ignore her? If it had been any of the others you'd have been taking photos non-stop?"

Kouta turned back to his camera, "she annoys me" he answered simply.

"It is still very unlike you?" Himeji pondered aloud, "you still reacted the same way as every as you always do when she leant forwards..."

Kouta muttered something inaudible, placing his camera down on the table. Looking as anti-social as he could get.

"Even if Hideyoshi and Yūji can't be with us, we'll have a great time right guys?" Akihisa turned to Kouta, Himeji, and Minami.

Kouta felt a small shiver go down his spine, and didn't need to look up to know that Himeji and Minami were both deciding how to get rid of him.

He didn't really care, if he didn't go with Akihisa he'd wonder around on his own taking photos.

Perhaps it was better to tell Akihisa he was busy now before Himeji and Minami could do anything to him.

But before he could volunteer out, Iron Man suddenly strode back into class. It turned out his meeting had finished early, so he was back to teach them for the rest of the day.


	2. Chapter 2

"Now," Iron Man came to the end of his lesson, clearing his throat with a heavy fist, "I hope none of you have forgotten about the Firework event next week..." His glare swivelled to Akihisa.

"Hey, I remembered!" Akihisa protested in his defence.

Iron Man turned back to the rest of the class, "but remember while you are there, you are representing this academy, and our principle does not want to be bothered with the stories that many angry stall keepers came to her with last year."

Class F tried to look discrete, but Iron Man had already pulled out a long list.

He cleared his throat again.

_List of complaints from last year's Firework display:_

_Overturning several tables in a rush to reach the water fountain – Yoshii Akihisa_

"Yoshii dared me to try some of that really spicy crab on the Chinese table!"

_Disrupting the event's lights by use of a powerful electric shock – Sakamoto Yūji and Kirishima Shōko_

"Why isn't Shōko being lectured then!"

_Pulling customers away from the fashion stall, and indeed from most other stalls with there Yukata – Kinoshita Hideyoshi_

"I was only wearing it for an event the drama group was doing there, it wasn't my fault they thought I was a girl."

_Frightening the young women with the endless flashing of a camera – Tsuchiya Kouta_

"... Undeniable..."

_Causing extreme bodily harm to another person while on site – Shimada Minami_

"It was only Akihisa!"

_Terrorising the young men with dates – The FFF organisation_

"Down with the sinners!"

Iron Man rolled up the list again, frowning, "that's what I'm talking about, see to it that none of it happens again."

There were loud cries of outrage from Class F, expressing the unfairness of this.

Kouta was already clinging protectively to his camera.

Dismissing them quickly, Iron Man stored the list in his chest pocket and sighed, "what a load of idiots..."

The group (Apart from Hideyoshi who was at a drama group rehearsal) walked together as far as the gate before Yūji and Himeji had to turn and head the in the opposite direction to where the houses section of the city was.

The other three lived in the apartment section.

It was actually unusual for the three of them to be walking home together. Kouta usually went home by a quicker route, that only he seemed to know about; but he seemed to be taking the slower route with the others this time.

Minami was also dragging her feet and walking along beside them.

Akihisa wasn't complaining; he preferred this to walking home alone. Besides he had his sister at home, at he'd rather spend a little longer free to discuss what he wanted without the threat of an incestuous kiss.

"So, are you sure you still want to go see the fireworks if your not allowed to take photos?" Minami strolled up next to Kouta, with an innocent enough expression.

"I'm still going" Kouta replied, "I just need to be less obvious," even now he was planning the locations of cameras he could set up before the event to pick up later.

Minami buzzed with annoyance.

Akihisa stopped a little way ahead, "Why are you guys walking so slowly?" He questioned, looking at them both with a look of puzzlement.

"I'm coming!" Minami quickly assured him, rushing ahead to catch up with him.

Kouta sighed, and turned discretely down the path that lead to his apartment block. He wasn't quite as invisible as most people put him down for, they just didn't notice when he slipped off or appeared somewhere.

He felt himself beginning to slow his pace. Somehow now, even the long route didn't seem to be long enough.

Akihisa and Minami hadn't even noticed that Kouta was no longer with them.

Minami bit her tongue nervously before finding the courage to speak, "So, me and Himeji can come with you to the fireworks then?"

"Of course" Akihisa grinned, "It's not a proper day out without a pretty girl in a Yukata, and seeing as Hideyoshi isn't with us, Himeji is all we've got... Why are you looking at me like that?"

Minami swore in German, kicked Akihisa hard in the shins and stormed off down her own street.

Akihisa now noticed he was alone, meaning he had to head the rest of the way home by himself.

Everybody seemed so touchy at the moment; weren't they looking forward to the fireworks?

Perhaps everybody would have cheered up by tommorow, and forgotten all about whatever it was that was making them feel depressed.

Speaking of depressed he could feel the weight of the homework in his bag like a penance, and his sister had been practising her cooking more than ever (though she didn't seem to be getting any better), that meant he'd probably have to shovel something disgusting down at dinner.

Just as he was about to open the door to the apartment he felt his mobile vibrate.

Reaching into his pocket he fished it out, flicking it open.

A text message from Yūji?

_Baka. I might not be in school tommorow, take notes if something happens. -Yūji_

Akihisa wasn't sure whether to be annoyed or concerned at this. It was unlike Yūji to not be in school- however little attention he paid when he was actually there.

Perhaps Shōko would know; she knew everything about Yūji.

Skimming down his list of contacts, Akihisa found Shōko's name; selecting it and typing in a message.

_Shōko, why isn't Yūji coming in tommorow?_

He waited for a moment, but when he didn't receive a message back, Akihisa had no choice but to reluctantly push open the door, and walk straight into his sister's chest.

"What the hell are you doing!" Leaping backwards, Akihisa briefly glanced at his sister before shielding his eyes.

Akira was standing in what looked only like an apron.

"What's the matter Akihisa?" She blinked innocently at him,

"Why aren't you wearing any clothes!" Akihisa thought he was supposed to be the idiot of the family, but sometimes he doubted it. Academically Akira was certainly better, but when it came to common sense...

"Because I didn't want to get them dirty" she smiled, like this solved the whole problem,

"Go and get dressed now!" Akihisa shoved her into her room, slamming the door behind him.

Now that he took the moment to look round the kitchen, he began to realise how much of a mistake encouraging Akira with her cooking had been.

There were numerous burnt and funny looking dishes hanging around, on top of that there were also many spillages and sticky counters.

Even though he was the boy, he was sure that the apartment had been tidier before his sister came to live with him.

While his sister was getting dressed again, he set about cleaning the kitchen and started preparing a proper meal for them to eat; homework could wait.

His sister seemed sorry over dinner for preventing him from working, because she didn't make any suggestive remarks at all.

"Are you going to see the Fireworks with any of your friends?" She smiled, her eye twitching as she tried not to look threatening.

"Just Mussolini, Minami, and Himeji. The others are going with other people," Akihisa sighed, he hoped the girls didn't drop out on them to go off with a date as well.

It was really unfair of Iron Man to have scolded them like that this morning. They were meant to be enjoying themselves at the festival, how could they do that if they had to watch their manners all the time?

His sister let out a small sigh of relief- as long as another boy was there as well. She didn't want her precious brother going off with two girls all by himself.

She was pleased with the way that Akihisa had grown up. Because he was oblivious to girl's advances it protected him from all those horrid girls that would take advantage of his stupidity.

When they'd finished eating Akihisa cleared up the plates, before drifting to his room; falling down, asleep flat on the bed. Homework forgotten.

The other way back from school

"Why don't you walk home with Shōko?" Himeji asked, turning to Yūji.

Feeling awkward, Yūji glanced away, "I do usually, but she doesn't expect me to every day."

Himeji didn't press the matter, but she giggled a little under her breath. Yūji was very different to Akihisa; he noticed girl's advances, he choice to avoid them. Akihisa acted like he wanted them, then didn't actually notice when they were happening.

"So where do you live Sakamoto?" Himeji asked polity to make easy conversation.

"The houses just coming up ahead" Yūji shrugged, "you live in one of the big houses on the outside of the city near Shōko?"

Himeji nodded, flushing. She didn't like to be reminded of her large house; it made her feel too separate from the other students in Class F, and she liked to be involved with them, even if she was a bit out of place.

"This is my turn off here" Yūji apologised, indicating with his thumb down the left split in the road. If Himeji lived where he thought she did, she'd be turning right.

Remembering her manners, Himeji bowed, "thank you for walking with me this far,"

"No problem" Yūji assured her, waving over his shoulder as he turned down his own road.

Himeji was a nice person, but so was Minami on a good day. Eventually Akihisa would have to make a choice between them- and Hideyoshi wouldn't be an answer.

Admittedly Yūji was a little confused as to why he hadn't met Shōko on the way home. Even if they didn't start of walking home together, she usually met him part way and ended up coming back to his house to talk to his mother anyway.

First he felt relieved, then a little worried. It was really unlike Shōko not to meet him somewhere or at least ask if they could walk home together unless something was wrong.

Perhaps he should phone her when he got home just to make sure everything was okay. He wasn't worried, he quickly assured himself; he was just confused.

Turning round the corner he came face to face with an ambulance, pulled right out in front of his house.

Forgetting everything about his calm appearance, Yūji rushed round the other side of the ambulance.

Shōko was sitting on the front step of the house, with her face buried in her hands.

"Shōko are you okay?" Yūji bent down quickly beside her, pulling her hands away; not sure whether he should be revealed that the only marks on her face were tear streaks.

"Y-Your mother..." Shōko flinched, refraining from hugging Yūji; this was not a time to upset him. "I thought I'd come back ahead of you, and she was just lying in the hallway, I think she collapsed; I just called the ambulance..." She returned her hands to her face, returning to tears.

Yūji left her for a moment, rushing towards the ambulance.

"What's going on? She's my mother."

"She's very sick, we'll have to take you and your sister to the hospital; she needs to go through some tests..."

"She's not my sister" Yūji corrected when he realised the man was talking about Shōko, "but she is a close friend, I'd like her to come too."

The man nodded, motioning that they should get into the back of the ambulance.

He hurried back to Shōko, managing to help her to her feet and lead her in the direction of the ambulance.

Then helped her to sit down beside him on the small seats that were provided.

He'd never seen his mother's face so pale before. It made him feel a little sick just to look at it.

How could something like this have happened? She was always one of those annoyingly healthy people that never even caught a simple cold. How could she just collapse like this.

Carefully he reached out his arm to place around Shōko's shoulders; it looked like she needed just as much comfort as he felt like asking for. The difference being that he could comfort her.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Author's note: Sorry it's so short, but I thought I'd made you guys wait long enough so I updated~**_

True to his word, Yūji wasn't in school the next day; and neither was Shōko.

Many rumours were flying about concerning the two of them. Some people thought that Yūji had finally given in to Shōko's whims, and they'd run away together to get married.

Some girls were romanticising the whole thing, making up stories of a wicked father that wanted to keep them apart.

It was Hideyoshi that finally sorted out the problem when he arrived a little later than usual at school.

Kouta still hadn't arrived either.

So Class F had seemed oddly empty.

"Shōko phoned Yūko this morning," Hideyoshi took his seat, "apparently Yūji's mother's in hospital, that's why the two of them aren't in."

This was admittedly a little anticlimactic after the previous stories, though everybody was obviously concerned about Yūji's mum. She was a cheerful woman that often helped around the local community and at school events, so she was well known, and well liked.

"I wonder where Muttsulini is?" Himeji looked around on the ground in case Kouta was on the floor trying to look up one of the girl's skirts.

"Nobody turns up to school any more!" Akihisa let out a cry of annoyance, "and you were late Hideyoshi, why was that!"

"Mum got me and Yūko's school uniforms mixed up again, so Yūko got really angry and started shouting the roof down..." A pained look crossed Hideyoshi's expression, "she's just like everybody else... I'm used to being called a girl, but it must be hard on Yūko to have her own mother think she's a guy..."

The door opened slowly, and Kouta made his way quietly to his seat, sitting down without even looking at them.

"Hey, Muttsulini where have you been? Did you hear about Yūji's mum?" Akihisa planted himself down cheerfully in front of Kouta's desk, "without Yūji here, I thought for a moment it would just be me and the girls."

"I'm a guy..." Hideyoshi didn't even look like he could be bothered to correct him any more.

"Hmm..." Kouta nodded, still looking adrift.

"What's wrong?" Even Akihisa could tell something was bothering the usually active pervert.

Kouta jumped suddenly, looking like he'd just realised that Akihisa was talking to him. He blinked at the other for a moment, then shook his head, looking like he was about to say something, when Aiko suddenly came rushing into the classroom.

"Muttsulini" she grinned, almost crashing straight into him, knocking Akihisa away in a swift movement, "I heard you got in late?"

"News does travel fast..." Akihisa mumbled from his position on the floor where he'd been knocked.

"I'm fine, I was just late" Kouta mumbled, folding his arms, looking hard at his lap; probably in defence in case Aiko was going to do something suggestive.

There was a moment of silence between them. Eventually Kouta was forced to look up to see if she was still looking at him.

Meeting her hard gaze, he immediately dropped his own again. She knew he was lying; but how did she know something like that?

"Poor Shōko, did her father really forbid the marriage between her and Yūji?" Aiko snapped her attention back to the other four, though she still sat herself down on Kouta's desk.

Hideyoshi rolled his eyes, "we've just been through this, doesn't Yūko tell anyone in her class anything..." He explained the story again, with the hope that Aiko would pass it on to everybody else.

"That does sound awful..." The sad tone in Aiko's voice sounded strange and unfamiliar; it was enough to catch Kouta's attention again.

"Perhaps we should visit" he suggested, colouring a little when Aiko looked down at him.

"That's a great idea!~" Himeji beamed, "I could cook something..."

"T-There's no need Himeji, I'm sure the food at the hospital is great" Akihisa assured her quickly. The last thing a sick person needed was Himeji's cooking.

Minami nodded, "we can go and visit after school, I hope Yūji isn't too upset..." The idea made them all shiver.

"Yūko will want to come too," Aiko crossed her legs in Kouta's line of sight, "we're good friends of Shōko's so we should see if she's okay too."

There was a gargling sound, and when Aiko looked back at Kouta it was to see him with his head down on the table in a pool of blood. He seemed to be back to normal then.

"You did that on purpose..." He muttered, shaking his head to clear any of the dirty thoughts he'd had.

"Did I?" Aiko blinked innocently, "you just looked like you needed cheering up~"

"Not from you,"

"That's mean," Aiko pouted, getting to her feet again, "well I'd better get back to studying, you guys enjoy yourselves."

After School

They had to catch a bus to get to the side of the city with the hospital, but the journey wasn't too long.

"Bus tickets are so expensive now-a-days..." Akihisa sighed, closing his wallet with a small cry, that probably cost him his food allowance for three days.

"Stop complaining" Minami scolded, crossing her arms and trying not too look to upset that Himeji was sitting next to Akihisa and not her.

Kouta and Aiko were sitting in the seats behind Hideyoshi and Yūko.

Yūko was bending round her seat to talk to Aiko, while occasionally arguing with her brother about something.

Kouta was watching one of the long legged, big breasted women who was sitting nearby, his camera flicking out and flashing when he didn't think anybody was looking.

"Maybe we should have brought flowers or something..." Himeji wondered aloud, "I'm sure Sakamoto's mum would have liked that..."

"Perhaps we should have brought a spare change of clothes for Shōko and Sakamoto..." Yūko added with a shrug, "though hopefully his mother will be out of danger by now... I hope our rep is okay."

"Sister..." Hideyoshi sighed; couldn't she be a little more tactful.

When they arrived at the hospital and were directed to the right floor where they found Shōko and Yūji standing around in the hall.

Yūji groaned when he saw them, lifting a hand to his forehead, "why are you guys here? My mum's fine, she just needs to rest here for a few days,"

"I'm glad she's okay" Hideyoshi nodded, before any of the others could say something insensitive or stupid.

Shōko smiled and nodded at him thankfully, moving swiftly over to Aiko and Yūko to find out what she'd missed in their classes today.

Yūji didn't really think it was worth asking his classmates what he'd missed, they probably hadn't been paying attention anyway.

"You look like you haven't slept," Himeji looked worried, "I knew I should have made you and Shōko something to eat, hospital food tastes horrid."

Yūji's eye twitched, but he refrained from saying anything against it, and just thanked her for the thought.

"We'll both be back in school tomorrow. Mum just exhausted herself out with all the work she was doing," Yūji shook his head, "having a mother like that is troublesome..."

"I like your mum" Shōko mumbled, "she's very kind..."

"Unfair..." Akihisa wailed, "you guys only have to come back for Friday, then it's the weekend..."


	4. Chapter 4

"Muttsulini~" Aiko appeared out of nowhere, jogging up alongside Kouta on the way into the school building, "you're on time today~"

"I am usually" was Kouta's blunt reply, his eyes drifting to the ground.

Aiko stuck her tongue out at him, "Hey, we have Health today don't we, that should cheer you up, I've been working hard, I'm bound to beat you this time,"

"Don't bet on it," a small smirk escaped Kouta, though his eyes were still trained on the ground, "I've been studying hard too."

Aiko linked herself round his arm with an even wider cat-like grin than usual, "ah, but today it's all practical."

Kouta fought the pressure in his nose; there was always something about the way Aiko said the word 'practical'. Then it hit him.

"We all have to participate?" He questioned quickly,

"That's right, there's no way you can beat me this time~" Aiko was rather pleased that Kouta was still letting her cling to his arm. A few people were staring at them now, it made a rather warm feeling swirl around Aiko's chest.

When Aiko brought herself to pay more attention to Kouta, she realised he had certainly tensed, but why? Was he really that worried about losing to her?

He also looked like he was thinking hard. Just because Kouta was in class F didn't mean he was stupid; he just needed the right motivation to do something.

"Aiko, I need your help right now!" Yūko shot from the school building, pulling her away from Kouta's arm, "this is ridiculous! Why does Hideyoshi have his own changing room!" The girl sounded close to hysteria, "how much does that cost the school!"

Protesting with a wail, Aiko felt herself being pulled away. When she'd calmed down enough to look back, Kouta was looking at his arm with a small blush, like it had just registered that she'd been clinging to it.

The look on his face made Aiko blush as well. Kouta was really funny sometimes~

Indeed it was just processing through Kouta's head that Aiko had been clinging to him like that. Why hadn't he noticed when she was actually doing it?

Feeling his cheeks burn furiously, and not in the usual way that caused him a nose bleed, Kouta slapped his hand against his face, to bring himself out of it.

Stupid Aiko; she just enjoyed teasing him.

They barely had time to get into the classroom before Iron Man was sending them off to the changing room.

By the way he sighed when looking at Hideyoshi it was clear he'd been arguing with Yūko. "Hideyoshi you have permission to change in the boy's changing room."

The silence was so sharp that even Class A couldn't compare.

"No fair!" Himeji cried, both her and Minami fixing Hideyoshi with a furious look, "what happened to the old arraignments?"

Iron Man sighed again, "It seems that one of our students thought they were unnecessary, and just a strain on the school budget... She also have us photographic evidence to prove his gender."

But no one in the class seemed convinced.

"I feel like I'm committing a crime" Akihisa wailed, already feeling Minami and Himeji's approaching presence. "Hey shouldn't you be excited about this Muttsulini?" Akihisa spared a hopeful glance in Kouta's direction, trying to divert the girl's attention.

"No, we already know he changes to quickly for cameras" Kouta shrugged, not looking in the least put out.

Yūji and Akihisa exchanged a glance.

"You should fight more Kouta, you don't usually give up as easily as this" Akihisa grinned, "I'm sure we can find some sort of way of making him slow down,"

"Is this because you're dating Kudō?" Yūji questioned.

"What!" Kouta sprung from his seat, staring at them wide eyed and pale, "who's dating who!"

"That's cute" Himeji giggled, moving quickly into conversation with Minami, "you two look perfect together~"

"I did see them together on the way into school" Minami agreed.

Kouta was looking every bit like his life was over. "T-This is a misunderstanding!"

"Seriously?" Akihisa shook his head, looking puzzled, "but why else wouldn't you be interested in Hideyoshi?"

The blush on Kouta's cheeks was a rare sight.

"I-I told you why!"

The class was slowly beginning to make its way towards the changing rooms- Hideyoshi included, much to the amazement of the other male students. Some of the girls from the other classes had even begun protesting about it.

"Why do I have to put up with this...?" Hideyoshi sighed, holding his head in his hands to block out the angry words from all the girls.

Yūji patted his shoulder, "your sister is an odd person."

Perhaps because he showed very little interest in girls in general, or perhaps because he was indeed a child prodigy, Yūji seemed to be the only student other than his sister that even noticed he was a guy and not a girl.

The girls were now beginning to grumble away into their own changing room.

Eventually in the boy's changing room, Hideyoshi was forced to change under a towel, because none of the other boys seemed ready to get changed until he had, and were intently staring at him when he started to get unchanged.

"Aren't you getting changed Muttsulini?" Akihisa paused, while struggling to pull his shirt over his head, "you can't watch the girls unless you at least get changed."

Kouta was sitting on the bench, still fully dressed with his arms crossed, and camera sitting on his lap.

Yūji sighed, telling Akihisa to get on with changing himself.

Kouta was still sitting in the changing room when the rest of them left, not having moved from the position he'd first been in when Akihisa suggested that he get dressed.

Akihisa was about to question Yūji as to whether he knew anything about the reason that Kouta was acting so strange lately (even stranger than usual).

But just as he opened his mouth the girls came charging towards him.

"You'll watch me on the vault won't you?" Minami tugged at Akihisa's arm,

"I'm not very good, but you'll watch me anyway, won't you?" Himeji tugged his other arm, "and then you'll run with us on the track?"

Feeling himself being tugged in two different directions, Akihisa struggled to hold himself together.

"Where's Muttsulini? Don't tell me he chickened out already?" Aiko laughed, charging at Akihisa from behind, knocking him forward out of the other girl's grip.

"He isn't changed yet" Yūji shrugged, edging closer towards the others when he felt Shōko's eyes pick him out from the crowd.

"What's wrong with him?" Aiko sighed, "he's been acting weird over the last week..."

"Maybe business hasn't been so good recently, after all Hideyoshi's sisters being more strict about the poses he's allowed to pull..." Akihisa glanced at Hideyoshi, still trying to get over the fact that Hideyoshi had been allowed to change in the boy's changing room.

"What do I have to do with Muttsulini's business?" Hideyoshi questioned.

"There he is!" Aiko shot away from them, bounding like an overexcited puppy towards Kouta, who was slowly dragging his feet from the boy's changing room.

_**Author's note: Sorry for such a slow update, I had writer's block and a lot of school trips ;^_^ **_

_**Just a warning to those reading this fic that are not familiar with my other work. I'm used to writing for a fanbase like Hetalia or Pokemon that have a much larger variation of stories. My fics tend to be quite dark, and although I'm carefully minding it in this fic, it's unlikely that this fic won't be without its dark moments.**_

_**Thank you for reading my notes~ Please comment. **_


	5. Chapter 5

"So," the gym teacher looked around at his (victims) students with a pondering smirk. It was always interesting to have a lesson where Class A and F were together, because usually none of them were very good at sports, and it was nice to see them on even footing sometimes.

Himeji and Kubo were already looking tired out, and they hadn't even gotten through the warm up.

He Principle had put Dodge-ball on the lesson agenda, but she hadn't specified how they could play it. Perhaps this would be a good chance to try out the new Avatar system they'd installed.

"Okay!" He called, "I want girls one side of the court, and boys on the other!"

There was a murmur of confusion; usually the school recognised it was unfair to post the girls against the guys.

The girls would smash them in seconds.

Hideyoshi moved quickly behind Akihisa and Yūji, "I feel a sense of impending doom" he mumbled, avoiding the glare that was being directed at him from almost all the girls on the court.

"Well it's your sister's fault for making you change with us" Yūji dismissed, moving aside to give the girl's a clean view of him, "you don't act manly enough to be considered a guy, so in their eyes your as much of a girl as they are."

Kouta stood in open space opposite the girl's line, looking expectantly at the teacher.

This was unexpected, Kouta certainly had the highest school in Health, but he was still on Akihisa's level when it came to the practical.

Unless...

"The Avatars have recently had a new system installed; while they still can't touch people (barring the Punishment inspector's), they can now touch physical objects, like Dodge balls. Of course your Avatar's ability on the field depends on their score. The aim of the Game is to control your Avatars in throwing the balls at the human members of the opposite team."

Looking around at the team players on both sides it looked like it was going to end up as a two player game. While Kouta couldn't throw, he could dodge; and his Avatar's score was high enough to knock someone out with a gentle pass.

Aiko was also raring to go, with the second highest Health class Avatar school, and the highest physical level.

Hideyoshi quivered, these girls were going to kill him, he just knew it. Why hadn't he fought harder for his old changing room.

"Yūji said that if the girls get him out he'll marry Shōko!" In a sudden moment of madness, Hideyoshi shouted across the court.

Shōko's ears pricked. She would see to it that all Class A's attention was on Yūji- that took care of all of the problem except two.

He supposed Minami would be one to look out for, but he could imagine Himeji's score being too high for Health class.

"Why the hell did you tell her that!" Yūji seized hold of the front of his shirt, "if I get hit now, I'll kill you when this is over!"

"I'd rather take that risk than the one they were planning" Hideyoshi admitted, pointing over the dividing line in the court where the disappointed girls of Class A were reluctantly agreeing to go along with Shōko's plan.

"Begin!" The sports teacher released a summoning field to span the court.

Yūji was soon dodging balls from all directions, and Hideyoshi diving away from Minami's catapulted ones.

Most of the losses were from balls thrown by Kouta and Aiko's Avatars.

"Hey Muttsulini, let's make a deal" Aiko called across the line, as she neatly dodged a ball thrown by Akihisa's Avatar, "if the girls win, you'll tell me what's bothering you,"

Kouta narrowed his eyes, also dodging a ball- not quite as neatly as Aiko had. "No deal" he shook his head stubbornly.

"If the guys win I'll set up a camera for you in the girl's changing room" she offered, lowering her voice slightly, "come on."

Kouta hesitated, moving his Avatar and directing a throw at one of the girls on the other team.

There conversation was brought to a short close as Yūji sped between them, a wall of balls flying after him.

"Kouta please knock Shōko's out of this game she's going to have the other girls kill me!"

Dodging the balls himself, Kouta's Avatar caught a rolled ball against Shōko's heel. A look of immense disappointment crossed her face, and annoyance, she hadn't been expecting such a low hit. The other girls would hopefully turn back on Hideyoshi for the time being.

Minami eventually gave up on trying to hit Hideyoshi, especially seeing as the other girls were ready to take up the sword. She hit Akihisa instead. As hard as she could.

Being shot back against the wall by the force, Akihisa choked, winded by the blow.

Staggering uncertaintly to his feet.

"Hold!" The Sports teacher withdrew the field, hurrying up to Akihisa, "who threw that?" He glanced over at the girls.

Red in the face, and now looking extremely worried, Minami raised her hand.

"Good throw" the Sports teacher nodded approvingly, just as Akihisa collapsed to the floor, "but I think you'd better get him to the nurse's office,"

"Yes sir," Minami hurried forwards, to help support Akihisa, looking annoyed when she couldn't hold him up.

"Take Himeji with you," the teacher motioned his finger at Himeji who was already sitting on the 'out' bench. She nodded, also looking worried, and hurried over to support Akihisa by his other shoulder.

The class waited until they had left the court before the field was set up again.

It was only a matter of minuets before Kouta and Aiko were the only ones still standing on the court.

Aiko was still looking full of energy, but it was clear that Kouta was tiring, wincing as he dodged Aiko's next throw.

The end was nigh, and to Yūji it looked like his life might just be over.

Kouta's Avatar shot forwards, aiming another hit at Aiko; she only had to take a nimble step to the side to avoid it.

"Sorry Muttsulini, but this is my field!" Her Avatar sweeped up a ball from the ground and threw it hard and fast.

The last boy was down.

The girls all cheered, running up to congratulate Aiko, while the boy's all bowed their heads. Some of Class A were mumbling that he at least lasted longer than them.

Pulling herself free from the other girls, Aiko just about caught sight of Kouta moving through the gate of the court.

She hurried after him, grinning from ear to ear with that cat-like grin of hers.

"Muttsulini, we had an agreement~" She caught up with him outside the entrance to the boy's changing room,

"I didn't agree" Kouta mumbled, keeping his back turned. He looked like he was staggering- she hadn't meant to throw the ball at him that hard.

"Are you okay?" She stepped closer.

Kouta suddenly turned to her, a look of annoyance and fury on his face. His usually passive eyes were wide and angry. The look actually frightened her.

"Why can't you just mind your own business!" He snapped, he fixed his abnormal glare on her,

"Kouta I..."

Kouta stumbled again, this time fainting to the ground.


	6. Chapter 6

Aiko bit her lip, adjusting herself uncomfortably on the stall the nurse had pulled out for her. Himeji and Minami were also sitting near by demanding/asking whether they could get him anything to make him feel any better.

Aiko got the faint impression that they were competing unofficially on the matter.

She turned her attention back to Kouta who was still unconscious on his bed. His body was tense and would twitch every now and then like he was caught in some sort of unpleasant dream.

"Why won't you just tell me what's wrong?" She murmured, keeping her voice low enough so the others didn't overhear.

The nurse had been surprised when the Gym Teacher had carried Kouta into the office with Aiko in tow. Kouta had the lowest nurse's office attendance in the entire school. The last time he had been here was in his first year apparently, after his first nose bleed.

Aiko had to stop herself from laughing aloud when she wondered if Kouta had ever been 'innocent' in the ways of the world. She could imagine an image of Kouta as a young child in a nappy with a camera in hand trying to look up lady's skirts.

"It's not funny," Aiko looked down suddenly when she heard the murmur. Kouta was stirring, his eyes opened slowly, and he began to sit up in bed "you shouldn't laugh at people in beds in the nurse's office."

"Kouta, you're okay!" Unsure why such a huge rush of emotion had come over her, Aiko flung her arms around Kouta's neck, crying on his shoulder.

Now he was awake, she could remember that furious voice and expression that had frightened her so much.

Kouta meanwhile felt his heartbeat increase and his cheeks flush. He didn't wrap his arms around her- he was too stunned to do so. He'd seen so much of girls, but never had he been this close to one.

She was crying as well, how did you deal with a girl that was crying?

He was grateful that Akihisa, Minami, and Himeji were so involved in their discussion/argument that they didn't notice what was going on. Something like this would definitely confirm the rumours that he and Aiko were dating.

He just stayed silent, waiting for her to release him.

She did pull back after a moment, wiping her eyes hurriedly, "sorry" she apologised quickly, "I shouldn't have thrown the ball at you so hard..." She sniffed miserably.

Kouta stared at her looking surprised, then he clutched at the blanket, his eyes moving from Aiko to his lap. "Aiko..." He mumbled, his whole body tensing.

She looked up, swallowing hard. Kouta still looked angry. Was he angry at her?

All of a sudden his eyes flashed up to look right into her's, "don't think this is your fault."

Aiko's own heard began to flutter. There was such intensity and care in Kouta's voice that she had to fight down the violent blush and want to cry again, she struggling to breath with the effort.

"Muttsulini..." Aiko opened her mouth, sure that she should say something to this.

"You call me Muttsulini more than anybody else..." Kouta smiled lightly.

If Kouta went through any more radical emotion changes, Aiko felt sure that she would burst out a nose bleed that previously only Kouta had been capable of.

"We're friends right" Aiko forced herself to grin, "I have every right to call you by a cute nickname~"

"Everybody calls me Muttsulini" Kouta dismissed with a voice that sounded more similar to his usual one, then he swallowed, and an embarrassed tone joined it, "you should call me Kouta sometimes you know..." He ran a hand nervously through his hair.

"Kouta it is then," feeling the tension between them disappearing, Aiko gave him one of her signature cat-like grins.

~/~

"I hope the others are okay..." Shōko spoke aloud, "maybe we should drop in on them, before we go and see your mother Yūji,"

"They're fine, it's probably too crowded in there anyway," he patted her head. He'd managed to deter her ideas of marrying her for now, by expressing to her more human side that his mother was in the hospital, so to have mercy.

Hideyoshi and Yūko were also walking beside them.

They lived reasonably close to Yūji, they hadn't yet asked why Shōko was here though, shouldn't she be going home to get changed before meeting Yūji at the hospital?

Yūji obviously knew what they were all thinking, but he equally obviously was not going to give them the answer.

Yūko sometimes wondered what a brilliant mind like Yūji's was doing in Class F. Shōko had once told her that Yūji had firm beliefs he had to follow, but she hadn't really understood that.

She turned back to her own brother, perhaps Class A was too ambitious for him, but perhaps he could do better if he only stopped putting so much into the drama group.

"You're trying to sort people out" Hideyoshi smiled, speaking in a low voice, "you have that look about you."

Yūko felt herself blush, "Shut-up, I'm only speculating," she hated feeling like Hideyoshi was laughing at her.

They came to their turning and separated from Yūji and Shōko.

"Sometimes I think their relationship isn't the basic brother and sister type..." Yūji shook his head with a sigh when they were out of sight, "I can't decide where my opinions lie on that matter..."

"It's like in some of the manga" Shōko paused, looking pleased with herself that she could give an answer to Yūji's problem.

"Manga?" Yūji had never read any manga like that before, what sort of stuff were girls these days reading?

"One of the other girls in Class A leant me some manga for light reading, I can show them to you," Shōko was practically beaming by now, hopping excitedly on the balls of her feet.

"I suppose so" Yūji agreed, he was interested -dare he say it- in what sort of things Shōko was reading now-a-days. As a little girl she had enjoyed some of the more childish anime and manga, he hadn't known that she still read it.

The truth was that Shōko had arranged with his mother for her to stay over for a few days while her parents were out of town, and after she'd been taken into hospital, Shōko had panicked.

Yūji hadn't exactly mentioned to his mother that Shōko and he were staying in the house alone together, but he was sure she wouldn't mind as long as they didn't do anything.

He'd given her his bed, and was sleeping on the sofa until her parents got back.

They arrived back at the house, Yūji went up to his room to get some clothes to change into in the bathroom before leaving to give Shōko some space to change.

Changing into his casual clothes, and out of the stuck-up uniform, Yūji wondered back towards his room, knocking on the door.

He heard an annoyed sound issue from Shōko from within the room.

"Are you okay?" He called through the door trying to sound like he didn't care.

"I need help" Shōko's voice beckoned him, sounding relieved. He heard her exhale loudly in defeat.

When he opened the door, he almost shut it again.

She was wearing a short dark shirt, but also had a new top he hadn't seen before with laces as the back that she was struggling to do up on her own.

Even though he tried to fight it, he felt his eyes trailing to her back, bare of everything but her bra strap.

"Can you just tie this up please."

Why didn't this girl have any sense of decency or embarrassment!

"Can't you wear something else?" Yūji swallowed, edging towards her like she were a vicious animal about to strike him.

"I want to wear this one" Shōko told him stubbornly, lifting her hair to give him a clearer view of her back.

Biting his lip, refusing to let Shōko know this was bothering him, Yūji reached out his hands towards the back of the blasted top.

Having to fight to control himself even more when his fingers brushed against her skin, especially after he felt a light shiver run through Shōko's body.

When he'd finished he stepped back quickly, hoping she was satisfied with his work.

He was shocked when he realised that her cheeks had turned a light pink. As if sensing that he'd seen her blush, Shōko hurried towards her night-bag.

"I-I was going to show you the manga," she pulled a selection out of her bag, sitting on Yūji's bed with them on her lap.

Yūji sat down beside her, glancing down at the manga on her lap. They certainly had some provocative covers. Shōko was reading this stuff? It was almost hard to believe when he thought back to that sweet innocent girl from his childhood that started talking about breasts just because she thought it would interest him.

"What's this one?" Yūji was confused by the look of one of the mangas that she had shown him.

"That's yaoi" she told him simply, she opened the pages to the centre.

Yūji jolted back in shock, closing his eyes and forcing the manga away from him, "why did you show me that!"

"Shouldn't I?" Shōko looked confused, placing the manga at the bottom of the pile on the bedside table.

"No, I don't like stuff like that," Yūji groaned, how could Shōko think he would?

Glancing up again, he bolted backwards; Shōko was glaring at him with a fierce aura burning around her. "What have you been reading!" She demanded.

"Nothing" Yūji quickly assured her, "I don't read perverted stuff like that, who do you think I am? Muttsulini or Akihisa?"

Shōko calmed down, shaking her head slowly, "no, sorry, I shouldn't have leapt to conclusions..." She stared at her lap guiltily.

Yūji found himself look at her in the tense moment that passed between her.

- Was the idea of being married to her that repulsive?

- What was he saying! Of course it was, no young man wanted to be tied down before he'd lived his life.

- But would she wait that long?

- He knew Shōko was loyal, but it would be cruel to make her wait. Besides he might find another girl...

-No! He was sure of that at least, if he ever married any girl... It would have to be...

Yūji swallowed, letting his eyes briefly trace Shōko's body while she wasn't looking. The others were right, she was beautiful, but she was smart as well. Should he really be tying someone with so much potential to the position of housewife.

"Yūji I..." Shōko turned her head to speak.

Yūji wasn't even sure what part of his brain ordered him to do this, but he'd done it before he could even process.

He'd kissed her.

After years of avoiding her, and running away, he'd kissed her.

It was frankly embarrassing, he didn't expect to be any good, it was his first kiss; and if Shōko had remained true to her word (which he was sure she had), then it was her first kiss as well.

He caught the surprise in the girl through the way her body briefly tensed then relaxed as she melted against him.

Now his brain had awoken, half of it was screaming at him to pull back now, and reduce the damage, but for once he wasn't listening to that side.

He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer to him to deepen the kiss, feeling her own hands in his hair.

With a clumsy movement the two of them lost their balance. Yūji felt Shōko beneath him on the bed, and still he didn't stop kissing her. How could he now that he'd started.

He could feel her chest against his, feel her heart rate increase.

Pure instinct that was what he was tempted to follow, but he was struggling with all his might against it. He couldn't hurt her, even if she agreed to it, he'd damage her, he knew he would.

Part of him tried to pull away, while the other part brought his hand over her chest.

Shōko's heart rate increased tenfold, and their was a sense of panic in it now, but she didn't say anything. Why didn't she stop him?

Her breathing was heavy now, and their was a soft whimper of fear behind it.

Yūji pulled back as quickly as he had come at her. That sound, it had wrenched his heart out to hear it, had he already hurt her?

"Shōko I'm so sorry," Yūji heard himself gasp with shock at what he'd almost done, "I should never have..."

She stared up at him, her eyes wide- that Yūji interpreted as fear.

It was true what he'd always thought, she was too good for him.

"I'll go, I understand if you don't want to stay here any more," he got up quickly to leave, before he did any more damage.

"Yūji!" Shōko's voice called out with such desperation and earnestness that he had to stop and turn back.

She threw herself around him, burying her head in his chest, "I love you Yūji, you know that!"


	7. Chapter 7

Hideyoshi breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't have to go shopping alone with his sister after all. Shōko had phoned Yūko that morning and suggested that they all go together to make up to the boys that they wouldn't be able to do so on the actual night of the festival.

Hideyoshi wondered what had made Shōko changed her mind, she usually liked to be alone with Yūji whenever she got the chance.

Sitting down on the sofa, Hideyoshi sighed, waiting for his sister to get dressed so they could leave. He remembered when they were both really little that Yūko used to wet the bed and she made him promise he would never tell anybody as long as they lived. Every night when she had an 'accident' she would tip-toe to his room and shake him awake.

Hideyoshi then would help her get her sheets into the washing machine, then they'd sleep together. Hideyoshi even suspected that she'd started climbing into his bed at night even when she hadn't wet the bed.

But then they'd passed the age where their parents thought it was cute and they were forbidden from doing so.

Swinging his legs, Hideyoshi got up, wondering towards the door to his sister's room. What was taking her so long?

Pushing open the door, he poked his head round to enquire what she was doing. There was a brief moments pause, in which the two of them stared at each other.

Yūko had her back to him, but had turned her head to stare at him, shock and embarrassment all over her face. She was wearing nothing but her lower underwear.

"Get out you pervert!" She suddenly screamed, holding up her hands to cover her chest with one arm and throwing her shoes at him with the other.

Hideyoshi backed out quickly his face burning red, just pleased that his parents were away on a business trip and hadn't heard that.

Looking at Yūko like that, Hideyoshi had found it hard to believe how anybody could get their genders mixed up. Of course her chest wasn't as big as Himeji's, and possibly even Shōko's, but from the fleeting glance he'd managed to make, it was there.

Yūko appeared five minuets later, still blushing.

"You do not just walk straight into a girl's room!" She snapped, "especially when you know she might be changing!"

Hideyoshi just nodded quickly, more grateful than anything that the others were coming too. Things would be rather awkward between them for quite a while.

They caught the train into town in silence. Hideyoshi didn't know quite what to say, and Yūko was too angry to want to talk to him.

Hideyoshi was relieved to see Shōko and Yūji waiting for them at the designated meeting spot beside the fountain.

Himeji, Minami and Akihisa were meant to be meeting them here, but as usual they were late. Hideyoshi just hoped that Himeji hadn't brought any of her cooking with her.

As they got closer, Hideyoshi noticed that Shōko was standing a lot closer to Yūji than he'd usually have let her done, it was an interesting sight, one that Akihisa was bound to notice, whenever he turned up that is.

"Isn't Aiko coming?" Yūko asked Shōko after she and Hideyoshi had joined them, "she's usually up for this sort of thing,"

"She said she was busy" Shōko shrugged, a cheerful smile on her face that Yūko rarely saw on the other girl's face. There was only one thing that would make Shōko that happy.

"Are you two finally getting married?" Akihisa and the other girls had arrived.

"What!" Yūji stepped away from Shōko quickly, "off course not, you know I'd never agree to that!"

"We'll take it one step at a time" Shōko beamed, clinging to his arm and resting her head on it with a cheerful beam.

"I got a weird phone call this morning," Akihisa scratched his head,

"Doesn't matter" Yūji sighed, "let's get this shopping thing over and done with."

~/~

_Earlier that morning_

"Hello?" Akihisa picked up his mobile, he didn't recognise the number on the screen.

"Hello, I'm a complete stranger, I was just wondering if you could tell me where Kout... I mean Tsuchiya-kun lives?"

"Yeah, of course" Akihisa beamed, reading off the address to the strange voice. If he was honest with himself it sounded like they were talking through their hand, but he had more important things to worry about, like sneaking out of the house before his sister realised he was going out shopping with girls.

With a confident smile, the person at the other end of the phone hung up.

With a shrug, Akihisa grabbed a slice of toast on his way out of the door.

Aiko grinned, she hadn't actually believed that Akihisa would give her Kouta's address when she asked him like that, but she didn't want Kouta to have a chance to get wind that she was planning to go and visit him.

Kouta needed cheering up, and what usually cheered a guy up more than a pretty girl knocking on their door and asking them out on a date.

Checking the address that she'd quickly scribbled down, Aiko glanced at the bus timetable on the wall- it would be easier to catch the bus than walking.

She glanced around her empty house and sighed. Her parents were always away on business, when she was younger she'd had a maid of some sort who took care of her and kept the house tidy, but now she was older her parents didn't feel like she needed a maid to take care of her any more.

Moving towards the door, Aiko was sure to close and lock it before she went hurrying out of the apartment block to the nearest bus stop.

Thankfully a bus was just pulling up by the stop and she was able to hop on before it drove off again.

As she paid and found her seat, Aiko found herself wondering whether Kouta had ever been on a date before. She thought it was unlikely; Kouta was shy, even if he didn't show it, he'd probably faint if a girl asked him out.

Kouta was cute like that.

Leaning back to look out of the window, Aiko remembered what had happened the other day. She'd thought Kouta was really angry at her, but then he'd gone and asked her to call him by his first name.

Lost in her thoughts for a while, Aiko almost missed her stop.

Kouta lived in the apartment area.

Fishing out the address again she glanced down the street trying to find the right number.

The street looked long, but soon Aiko had found the apartment building and the room she was looking for.

Taking in a deep breath and checking the number once more to make sure she wasn't knocking on the door of a complete stranger, Aiko lifted her hand and tapped it against the wood of the door.

For a moment there was silence.

Aiko knocked again, a little louder this time.

On her third attempt she heard a hurried scuffling behind the door, then Kouta appeared in the doorway, wearing his dressing gown, his hair a mess; he looked like he'd just been woken up.

He blinked at her for a moment, looking surprised, then he groaned.

"Akihisa gave you my address didn't he..." He shook his head, "I knew I shouldn't have told him where I lived,"

"You look like you've just woken up?" Aiko checked her watch, who slept in to eleven these days?

"I have" Kouta grumbled, wiping his eyes and yawning, "it is the weekend."

He hesitated, looking unsure whether to see why she was here, or close the door on her.

"What are you doing here anyway?" He finally settled on asking, crossing his arms.

Aiko glanced over Kouta's shoulder. Even though she'd come here to ask him into town with her, she suddenly found she had a strange curiosity to know what Kouta's home looked like.

"Can I come in?" She asked, pulling her best impression of a puppy dog; but Kouta for some reason (Kouta of all people) seemed to be the only one that was immune to her cute expressions.

"No" he answered blankly, leaning against the door frame.

"Meanie," Aiko stuck her tongue out at him.

"Kouta what are you doing!" A load male voice demanded from inside the apartment.

Aiko saw all the colour drain from Kouta's face as he went stiff. He gave Aiko what could only be described as a terrified look.

"Wait here," Kouta suddenly sprinted inside the apartment, then, within a matter of seconds he was back, fully dressed.

Aiko felt her hand being grabbed, then Kouta was pulling her quickly away from his apartment. He still looked annoyed, but he kept up the pace, only slowing down to check over his shoulder every now and then.

When he'd dragged her far enough away from the apartment, he fixed his gaze on her.

"Why are you here again?" He asked, straightening up, running a hand through his still messy hair.

Yet again, Aiko felt herself becoming distracted.

"You look so cute when your hair's like that~" She mewed, reaching up a hand to ruffle it, "never comb your hair again, okay~"

She grinned ever wider when Kouta looked flustered at her sudden action and words.

"I'm taking you into to town okay~" She finally got the point out, "there's a great film on, and we can get a milkshake at that place you and the other guys were talking about, you liked it there right?"

Kouta just blinked at her with his mouth open, his face was so red now that a small drop of blood was threatening from his nose. "You want to go out in town with me?" He pointed to himself, looking adorably awkward.

"Of course I do K~o~u~t~a" Aiko beamed, handing him a tissue as his nose began to drip blood in heavy volumes.

Kouta swallowed, he'd forgotten he'd told Aiko she could call him that, and now she'd appeared on his doorstep practically to drag him out on a date.

This was the sort of thing Akihisa and Yūji were forced on, not him. He hesitated, was it really that bad, the idea of going out for a day with Aiko. She was practical, there wouldn't be any of that nonsense that the others got thrown at them.

"Okay..." He agreed slowly, following Aiko towards the bus stop.

"We should go and see the film first" Aiko suggested, "I know it's X-raited, but I know the best way to get in,"

"X-raited?"

What was she taking him to see...?

_**Author's note: To 'metalgearhunter' and their suggestion, don't worry I will use it. I just need to get past the weekend first~**_


	8. Chapter 8

_**Author's note: This chapter is based loosely on an idea sent to me by 'Metalgearhunter'**_

"Enjoying yourself?" Aiko grinned, handing Kouta another tissue to stop his nose bleed.

He still wasn't sure how she'd managed to convince the ticket sellers at the front of the cinema that they were both eighteen. The only person that Kouta knew could pass for eighteen was Yūji.

But here they were, pointing out all the details on screen to each other like it was a Physical Health lesson. Kouta had to admit that he really was enjoying himself.

Probably much more than the others were. Minami and Himeji were probably trying to get Akihisa to buy them a crêpe or smoothy, Yūji had probably already been shocked five times by now, and Hideyoshi was clearly finding his sister's controlling behaviour even more frightening than usual.

"I'm beginning to see how you get better scores than me in Health Ed" Aiko laughed, the film had finished and they were slipping out of the back door, "you were actually scribbling notes during the film~"

Kouta folded his arms, turning his head away with a stubborn 'hmph'.

Aiko laughed, "shall we go and get that drink? Then you can walk me home, that way I'll know where you live, and you can know where I live~"

"Fine" Kouta sighed, checking over the notes he'd taken in the film, his cheeks burning a light crimson.

They were about to reach the centre of town when out of nowhere Aiko and Kouta fell to the ground, somebody who had run into them landed on top of them.

"Get off!" Kouta snapped, pushing hard at whoever it was, before holding out his hand to help Aiko to her feet.

"They're going to kill me!"

Aiko laughed, and Kouta looked annoyed when they realised it was Akihisa.

Akihisa was doubled over trying to catch his breath. He kept throwing terrified looks over his shoulder. Aiko and Kouta didn't need to ask what, or more specifically, who he was looking out for.

Himeji and Minami soon caught up.

"But it would be cute if you could cross-dress to the fireworks," Himeji clung onto his arm with a pleading look, while Minami began trying to tug him back towards the shop with by the other arm.

Feeling annoyed, Kouta stuck out a foot a kicked Akihisa in the chest, it seemed like he and Aiko wouldn't be going for that drink after all.

They ended up merging into one group when Yūji, Shōko, Yūko and Hideyoshi arrived. The high schoolers looked around the shops for a bit longer before heading as a group to the smoothy bar for drinks.

Kouta chewed on the straw of his smoothy, looking bad tempered, watching Aiko out of the side of his eye.

Aiko was talking to Shōko and Yūko about the upcoming exams in an excited voice, "I know how Kouta does it now, so I'm gonna beat his score this time for sure!"

"Kouta?" Yūko blinked, looking confused.

Himeji and Minami sped over to the conversation, "did you just call Muttsurini 'Kouta'?" Himeji blushed as she spoke.

"Sure did~" Aiko laughed out loud, with a wide catlike grin on her face.

Kouta felt his own cheeks burn, so he looked away quickly.

Thankfully his friends were too busy wrapped up in whatever they were talking about.

"The school actually gave you another one?" Yūji examined the metal bracelet with interest, "what does this one do that's better than the last?"

"I can summon stronger beings with a choice of three subjects" Akihisa boasted, taking the bracelet back from Yūji.

"Which subjects?" Hideyoshi asked,

"Traditional Japanese, Maths and Chemistry" Akihisa replied, looking a little miserable, "all my worst subjects, so it's not of that much use to us."

After they'd finished their drinks, they parted ways with Yūji, Shōko, Minami and Himeji. Minami had agreed to go for a sleepover at Himeji's house so that they could compare pictures of the boys cross-dressing.

This left Akihisa, Kouta, Hideyoshi, Aiko and Yūko.

But soon Hideyoshi and Yūko also turned down a road and began walking in another direction.

Akihisa was now re-explaining his bracelet to Aiko, who was looking at it with amazement, her jaw dropping open when Akihisa pointed to everything it could now do that had been improved upon.

When Akihisa told her that he was particularly bad at these subjects Aiko hinted in a very suggestive voice that she could tutor him.

Kouta found himself trying not to look like he cared that Aiko was flirting with Akihisa instead of him.

After Aiko had made another suggestion that Akihisa could come home with her so she could help him with his Health Ed class, Kouta grabbed hold of Akihisa's arm, dragging him round one of the alleyways, telling Aiko to wait there for a moment.

"What's wrong Muttsurini?" Akihisa sounded surprised, and a little worried given the furious look that Kouta was fixing on him.

"You started flirting with her first, showing off that stupid bracelet!" He snapped,

"My bracelet isn't stupid!" Akihisa wailed back, waving the funny looking brass object in the air, knocking it against the back wall of the alley, "it is really cool and I'm sure it'll come in useful for Minami, Himeji and Yūji; just because we're bad at all those subjects..."

They were broken off by the sounds of a struggle from the main street.

Kouta didn't paused to tell Akihisa that he'd missed the point of why he was angry. He sped back onto the main street.

He recognised three of the third years from their school. One of them had hold of Aiko round her wrist and was trying to tug her down one of the quieter streets.

"Come on, don't play so hard to get" another teased, running a finger along her chin, "you winked at me yesterday in the canteen..." He gave a grunt of pain when Aiko bit down on his finger, very hard.

"You'll pay for that you little bitch!" Suddenly the third boy sent his fist against the side of her head.

Aiko swayed on the spot, her struggles weakening as she tried to keep herself conscious.

Fueled by anger Kouta was about to charge.

He was stopped by Akihisa's hand on his shoulder, he was about to demand what the idiot was doing, until the other showed him the bracelet silently.

Kouta knew he was right, there was no way they'd be able to take three third year boys on, but Akihisa's avatar could touch physical objects, including people.

Akihisa summoned the field in traditional Japanese (his slightly better of the three).

The boys stopped when they saw the summon-field, looking wildly at each other for a moment, until they saw that it was just two second years.

Akihisa's avatar had landed on the ground with a total score of 17 marks.

The third years laughed, one still keeping hold of Aiko they summoned their own avatars. Their scores were much closer to the 250 mark.

Kouta groaned, throwing a worried look at Aiko, there was no way she could fight while she was so badly disorientated, and Akihisa didn't stand a chance on his own.

If he could hold off the third year's avatars while Akihisa helped Aiko out then that would do well enough.

"Summon!"

His own avatar appeared on the field, the score 25 hanging over its head.

The third years had another laugh before sending their avatars hurtling forwards. Akihisa managed to slip between the attack and send his own attack and the third year that was still holding Aiko by the wrist.

The third year cursed, shaking Akihisa off. The avatar's score went down to 13, then there was short paused while Akihisa waited for the pain to run through him, but it didn't.

Akihisa's avatar had not channelled its pain through Akihisa like it usually did.

Kouta was still desperately trying to get his avatar to dodge the third years' attack. His avatar was fast because of his Health Education score, but he couldn't control it as easily as Akihisa could control his, and it looked like even he was having problems.

Ordering his avatar to jump, Kouta let two of the other avatars plough right into each other, heavily lowering one of their scores, and knocking out another one.

Kouta quickly finished off the one with the low score before hurrying out of the way of the next one.

His avatar skidded through the leg of one of the third years. At least that's what it should have done.

His avatar stopped, like it had actually come into contact with the leg.

Then Kouta remembered Akihisa waving the bracelet around and hitting it against the wall, had he caused the system to malfunction.

Moving quickly, Kouta ordered his avatar to turn on the third years before they realised what was going on and turned on him and Akihisa.

The boys dropped to the floor, cowering from the endless attacks.

Akihisa dropped the field as Kouta hurried towards Aiko, helping her maintain her balance.


	9. Chapter 9

Aiko trembled, but laughed nervously as though trying to regain her usual personality out of shock.

"That was weird" she smiled, her eyes rolling slightly in her head, "you and Akihisa's Avatars could touch things, your not a punishment inspector as well are you?"

Kouta sighed, looking up for the boys that had attacked her, but they'd fled when Akihisa had withdrawn the Summon-Field.  
>He glanced back at Aiko, looking her up and down in a contemplating way, then lifted her up carefully in his arms. She was a lot heavier than he'd thought she'd be. He shifted her weight for a moment, before he felt more comfortable.<p>

"I should get her home" Kouta explained to Akihisa who nodded quickly. He was studying his bracelet with confusion, tapping at it with his forefinger.

Kouta left him to it, and started heading in the direction of Aiko's house. She'd told him where she lived once, in the hope that he'd tell her where he lived in return.

Aiko was still conscious, but she'd closed her eyes to control the headache she'd gotten from the punch.

Aiko lived in the apartment area like himself, just in a nicer area. He hoped her parents would be at home to take care of her, he wasn't sure what to do if they weren't. He'd heard that you should never leave somebody with concussion on their own over night.

He supposed that he wouldn't be missed at home, but he still felt uncomfortable doing it.

He thought back to the fun time that he and Aiko had been having mere hours ago, closing his own eyes at the memory.  
>His face flushed when he remembered getting angry at Akihisa for 'flirting' with Aiko, though he had to admit that she'd been flirting more with him than the other way around; that was just who Aiko was.<p>

For some reason this thought annoyed him, he didn't like it when Aiko flirted with others, it made him angry; and although he usually let it slip and said nothing, over the past few days that feeling had been growing stronger and stronger inside of him.

"Are you okay?" Aiko's voice slurred, she opened her eyes to squint up at his red face, "you look a bit hot,"

"I'm fine" Kouta told her quickly, hoping she'd close her eyes again and leave him to his thoughts.

He was trying to work out what to make of these new powerful feelings that were bubbling inside of him.

The rage he'd felt when those boys had attacked her. He wanted nothing more than to seek them out on another Avatar battle with Akihisa's bracelet and beat them within an inch of consciousness.

Arriving at the door of Aiko's apartment, Kouta fished around inside her handbag until he found the keys.

Balancing her carefully, he unlocked the door, dropping the keys on the table in the hall as he entered.

There didn't appear to be anybody else in the apartment, so Kouta deposited her on the sofa and began to wonder what to do next.

"Where are your parents?" He asked. He hated to make Aiko speak while she looked in so much pain, but he needed an answer to the question.

"There working in Tokyo" she replied groggily, "not here at the moment..."

Realising that he'd have to take care of her, at least over night, he left her for a moment; hurrying to the kitchen for a glass of water to give her.

Once he'd made her drink at least half of the glass he began wondering what to do next.

Eventually he just pulled up an armchair beside the sofa, sitting himself in it to watch Aiko breath. She'd fallen asleep a few minuets ago, so it would be unfair to move her now.

Absent-mindedly he began to move his hand slowly towards her face, catching himself just before he reached her. What on earth was he doing?

He retracted his hand quickly.

A slow and daunting thought was beginning to enter his head. Did he have feelings for her?

He shook his head quickly, trying to clear such ideas, of course he didn't, he was just looking at her the way he admired every girl he met.

Biting his lip, Kouta sat back in the armchair, crossing his arms to his chest to stop himself from making a move like that again.

But he wanted to touch her.

Usually he was satisfied with hiding in cupboards and just taking girl's pictures, but he'd never had a desire like this to actually touch one of them in an intimate but less sexual way. He did like her, he couldn't get the idea out of his head now.

He'd always felt protected before, being able to admire every girl but not grow attached to one; it stopped this feeling he was feeling now.

The deep pained feeling, not knowing whether she liked him as well, or if she was just treating him the same as she treated Akihisa.

His head was beginning to hurt with all these thoughts, why had he even let them slip in anyway, he should have gotten rid of them immediately.

Those boys kept sneaking back into his head, and how they had hurt her. If it hadn't been for Akihisa's bracelet's malfunction he doubted that they'd have been able to do anything about it, what if something like that happened again and he couldn't protect her.

He needed to study, even if it was just to protect her. He hadn't tried studying for anything other the Health Ed. Before but now seemed like a good time to start.

They had replenishment exams coming up at the next week, if he revised hard enough he may be able to lift his scores a little more to be able to stand up to those third years a little more vigorously.

Aiko mumbled something in her sleep and rolled over, she looked better, that was good.

~/~

Akihisa lay on his back still examining his bracelet. The malfunction had caused not only his own Avatar not to transfer pain to him, but also even Kouta's Avatar could touch physical objects.

He rolled over, knocking the bracelet into his bedside table.

The photo he had on the bedside table trembled, then fell to the ground, smashing in all directions.

Akihisa swore, quickly picking up the picture and putting it out of harms way before going to fetch a dustpan and brush to sweep up the broken glass.

He glanced briefly at the photo to make sure it was still okay.

It was a photo of him, his sister and parents several years ago, before his parents had started working regularly out of town.

He smiled at it fondly before returning to his sweeping.

_**Author's note: Sorry it's been so long, I was concentrating on my National Novel Writing story and haven't had time to do too much on this, but I've finished now so hopefully updates will be quicker.**_

_**Also I'm going to put up a poll on whether you'd prefer Akihisa and Minami or Himeji to get together in this story.**_


	10. Chapter 10

_**Author's note: The poll is open for one more chapter. So far Minami is winning, but it's very close. Please get those votes in~**_

"Shouldn't you be revising?" Yūji glanced up at Akihisa from his notes with a sigh. The exams were coming up later in the week and he doubted Akihisa had done any revision at all.

The moment he'd spoken, Minami and Himeji were suddenly beside them looking excited.

"I can tutor you if you want" Himeji jumped in eagerly, clutching her notes tightly to her chest, "you can come round to my house after school and have dinner too if you like." She blushed, glancing down at the ground.

Minami took the pause to add hastily.

"I could tutor you too, I may not be as clever as Himeji but I'm closer to your level, you'll find me easier to understand."

The two girls glanced at each other, doing there best not too look too confrontational, but failed miserably. Even Akihisa could sense the dark auras coming off the two girls; and this time it wasn't directed at him.

Looking around for something to distract him, Akihisa fixed his eyes on Kouta who was slowly working through a text book in the corner- it probably had a manga or porn stashed away inside the pages.

He was about to get up to see what Kouta was doing, but Iron man must have had the same thoughts as Akihisa. Because the large man was slowly making his way towards Kouta's table, with a look like thunder on his face.

Akihisa fixed himself quickly to his seat and tried to look like he was working.

"Tsuchiya may I see that text book you're reading with such attentiveness," it was an order, not a question, and Iron Man already had his hand outstretched with a look of malice; getting ready to hail the student down with supplementary lessons.

Kouta handed the book up to him without so much of a flinch.

Iron Man snatched the book from it and looked.

Then he frowned, turning the pages carefully and individually.

Then he shook it.

Nothing fell out.

With an embarrassed look and sound Iron Man handed Kouta back the text book and wondered off again to the front of the class.

Feeling amazed, Akihisa scurried across the room to Kouta, "How did you hide it?"

Kouta glanced at him briefly out of the corner of his eye, "hide what?"

"The manga, or whatever your reading?" Akihisa beamed in his usual simple way.

"I'm not reading manga" Kouta replied, lifting the book back over his face, to tell Akihisa to go away.

Too shocked to argue, Akihisa headed back to his own desk, sitting down heavily in front of the orange crate next to Yūji's.

Himeji and Minami were still bickering over which one of them was going to tutor him for the upcoming exams.

"Why is everybody suddenly working?" Akihisa glanced over at Yūji, who was also working uncharacteristically hard, for him.

Perhaps he should take one of those offers that Himeji and Minami were offering him. He didn't like working, and his memory span was no where near high enough to remember what they told him, but he felt left out while everybody else was working hard.

But which one to choose...

Akihisa hated having to make decisions like this, because he knew that whichever one he chose, the other would be angry or upset. Girls were complicated creatures.

Perhaps he'd just let them sort it out between them, that might be easier, and if they continued to argue up until the exams, he'd probably be no better off than he would have been if he'd chosen one of them.

Feeling rather pleased with himself for working this out, he pulled out the bracelet again to examine it. It had been odd that not only his Avatar, but Kouta's too had been able to touch people.

Was this another short-circuit problem, or was the Headmistress trying him out again with one of the school's new toys?

Scratching his head, he gave the device a few taps with his finger. Then he put it away again; Iron Man was heading his way, and he didn't want the bracelet confiscated.

Iron Man did find his games console and manga though, and he had those confiscated until a later date when Iron Man was impressed enough to give them back- which wouldn't be any time soon.

"Why is everybody working so hard today?" He whispered to Yūji, who finally looked up from his revision.

Yūji leaned back on his chair thoughtfully, glancing at Akihisa through one half opened eye. "Perhaps we're just fed up..." He sighed, glancing around at his classmates, "your an idiot Akihisa, as are many people in this class,"

"Hey!" Akihisa growled, he knew he was pretty stupid, but even he wasn't completely hopeless; after all, he was good at history.

Yūji smirked, glancing away, "If you're not an idiot, prove it like the rest of us, why don't you accept the girl's help."

"Are you getting help from Shōko?" Akihisa asked, changing the subjects.

A flicker of annoyance passed over Yūji, "I don't need her to help me revise, she's going home tommorow anyway, and mum's coming home."

Looking around at his classmates, Akihisa wondered how many people in this class were just lazy like Yūji or real idiots like himself.

His eyes flicked back to Kouta who's eyes were skimming the text book like lightening, his sharp eyes gathering up the information. Kouta had always been good at Health, was it possible for him to ace the other subjects as well?

The thought made Akihisa shiver. No student had ever achieved a score in a single subject as high as Kouta's, the thought that he could do that in more subjects was a rather terrifying prospect.

Yūji had once been called a child-prodigy, rumour even had it that he was smarter than Shōko, and she was the smartest student in the school.

Himeji was a genius, everybody knew that, she was certain to do well.

If Class F did well in these exams they would be a fierce opponent to any class.

Hideyoshi was revising as well, but he looked less interested than the other students. Although Hideyoshi was gifted in the performing arts, his sister had inherited the academic ability.

Perhaps Yūji was planning another attempt at taking over Class A's classroom, they'd need to improve their scores if they wished to stand a better chance than last time.

Looking back to the front of the class, Akihisa almost jumped out of his skin; the two girls were looking at him with frowns on their faces.

"Who do you think would be a better tutor?" They pressed him.


	11. Chapter 11

_**It's been a long time, but here's another chapter. I know it's very short but I'm still pulling around for some ideas...**_

Akihisa looked from one girl to the other, "c-can you both teach me?" He suggested tentatively,

"No!" Came the sharp and unanimous reply.

Akihisa looked from one to the other, on the plus side Himeji was good looking and he wanted to know where she lived, but Minami would probably be more successful in tutoring him. On the negative side of both girls, if it was Himeji he'd be forced to eat her cooking and Minami had a flat chest. Himeji would be upset if he didn't choose her and Minami would kill him if he didn't choose her.

Why was life so complicated.

Akihisa saw out of the corner of his eye that Yūji was watching him, waiting for him to make a decision.

"Why don't we decide with rock-paper-scissors?" Akihisa grinned, what a genius plan he thought proudly to himself, this was simply a game of chance, "best of three."

The girls didn't look thrilled, but they faced one another with serious expressions.

Minami – Rock to Himeji's – Scissors.

Minami – Paper to Himeji's – Scissors

Minami – Paper to Himeji's – Rock

Minami had won.

Himeji looked upset, but she admitted defeat.

"So we'll start today after school" Minami beamed, hardly able to believe her luck, she'd be alone with Akihisa in just a few hours.

Yūji shook his head, Akihisa still refused to make a direct decision between the two girls, but it would have to happen, this couldn't go on forever.

Yūji wasn't sure exactly what had made him want to study like this, perhaps it was when that thought entered his head, about him tying such an able woman down to marriage, especially when he himself appeared to most of the world as an idiot.

Shōko, he'd fallen in love with the tiresome woman he'd told himself that he wouldn't go near with a barge pole.

Kouta was also working harder than usual, his eyes racing over the text in the book like it did over the dodgy magazines that he sometimes came in with.

Well, they had the fireworks at the end of the week to look forward to, they could all take a rest then, and hopefully have all their various problems tied up beforehand.

Hideyoshi still seemed to be fighting with his own problems, he was resting on the palm of his hand with his elbow on the desk, his eyes fixed blindly on one of the walls lost in thought.

Yūko was his sister, it was usual for a brother to feel attached to his sister and vice-versa, but Hideyoshi was beginning to wonder how deep that attachment ran, it seemed too much to be just ordinary.

Yūko was everything he wasn't, similar in the way that he was everything she wasn't, they'd always been like that, despite being twins.

Yūko had learnt to walk first, but he'd learnt to talk first.

But they'd never fought or really argued, they just respected and avoided one another, although occasionally his sister tried to remind him that he should be working harder at improving his grades.

He groaned inwardly, burying his head in his hands before glancing up at the clock; the end of school couldn't come fast enough.


End file.
